Chances for wisconsin (hopefully as a safety).

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Wisconsin
1

<p>Rising Senior
White, Male.
Wealthy Income Bracket
Catholic
From East Lansing, Michigan; Moved here during summer 2010, lived in Newtown, Connecticut for ten years before that
Newtown High School-CT(pretty highly rated public high school) 9th-10th Grades
Lansing Catholic High School-MI (one of the best schools in the Mid-Michigan area, but not as rigorous as my old high school)- 11th-12th Grades
ACT: 34 (35-science, 34-math, 34-reading, 31-english, 8-writing(idk how this happened) I only have taken the ACT once, I might retake in the fall, although I don't think I could raise the composite, I could probably raise math, english, and the writing score at least a little)</p>

<p>i took the SAT subject tests in Biology and Math 1 and im awaiting my results, Math 1 im expecting low to mid 700s and bio im expecting high 700s, but i could be completely wrong haha just estimates.)
GPA-4.0 (on a 4.0 scale) My school doesnt give A+'s, every single class I received an A
Class Rank-1st out of about 120. (at my old high school i was about 4th out of 400)</p>

<p>Here are my classes/grades:
Note: My school doesn't give A+'s, but my average percentile score in all classes for the past three years is about a 97%</p>

<p>Freshman Year
Honors Western Studies 1&2 (A)
Honors Geometry (A)(I took Algebra 1 in 8th grade and also got an A)
Honors French 2 (A)(took french 1 in middle school and also got an A)
Honors Biology (A)
Business Education 1&2 (A)
PE/Health 9th (A)
Honors English 1 (A)
Honors Asian Studies (A)</p>

<p>Sophomore Year
Honors Algebra 2 (A)
Honors English 2 (A)
Honors Chemistry (A)
Honors Physics (A)
PE/Health 10th (A)
Weight Training (A)
Honors French 3 (A)
Honors Sociology (A)</p>

<p>Then I switched schools and there were alot of complications. My old school had about 20 AP's, i was going to take around 11 over junior and senior year(there were no sophomore AP's), but my new school only has 6 AP's total. and only 1 is offered to juniors. Also they don't have honors world language courses at my new school and now I have to take theology as well.</p>

<p>Junior Year
AP Biology-(A, still awaiting test results, I am fairly confident I got a 4/5)
French 3(A-I was forced to retake this because the new school doesnt have french 5 or AP french, and I wanted to take french every year in high school)
Church History(A)
Christian Justice (A)
Honors US History(A)
Speech (A-a required freshman level course I had to take)
Honors British Literature (A)
Honors Trigonometry/Precalculus(A)</p>

<p>Senior Year Schedule
AP Calc (AB, all that's offered)
AP Gov
AP English Lit
Honors Philosophy and Theology
French 4
Intro to Art and Digital Photography(I had to take an art credit)</p>

<p>So class rigor wise, at my 9th-10th grade school I took every single honors class possible(there were no soph. AP's offered) and I even took senior level Honors Physics and doubled up in science. At my new school, in junior year I took every honors class and the only AP offered to juniors. Senior Year I will be taking 3 out of 4 possible AP's (another one is Spanish, but I take french), the other is Environmental which, at least at my school, is regarded as a joke class and the easiest AP. However, absolutely noone in my class is taking 4 AP's next year and I'm pretty sure only 2 other people are taking 3 AP's like I am. Overall, I would consider myself as taking the hardest possible, or close to that, schedule possible. </p>

<p>EC's:
Volunteerism: 106 total volunteer hours during high school(so far), including helping at nursing homes, food drives, Relay for Life fundraising, and helping at school-sponsored events such as freshman orientation and at the school store.</p>

<p>Jobs: Paid tutoring, Server at a Restaurant, Unpaid Internship at the Michigan House of Representatives(this summer)</p>

<p>Extracurricular Activities List:
• Freshman Class Vice President
• Freshman Boys Soccer Team
• Indoor Track Team (9th-10th Grades)
• High School Tennis Team (9th Grade)
• USTA tennis team and private tennis lessons (9th-10th Grades)
• School Store Employee at Newtown High School (10th Grade)
• Cross Country Team (11th-12th Grades)
• Winter Running Club (11th-12th Grades)
• Outdoor Track Team (11th-12th Grades)
• French Club (11th-12th Grades)
• Relay For Life Committee and Team Member (9th-12th Grades)
• Summer Running (9th-12th Grades)
• Babysitting (9th-12th Grades)
Student Senate President (12th Grade)
Special Awards:
Highest Grade in AP Biology, Theology, and Honors Precalc(all during 11th grade)
A bunch of academic all conference awards for track, xc, and tennis</p>

<p>I know that I am at a slight disadvantage for out of state, however, I have a DOUBLE legacy, both parents are madison grads. I was hoping if I apply EA Wisconsin could be a good safety for me.</p>

2

<p>Your stats are great but UW has been known to reject people with great stats before. A better safety school would be a four year “branch” college like any of the UW System schools.</p>

<p>But really with your profile I’m sure you’ll get in somewhere so I wouldn’t worry:)</p>

3

<p>I would say you’d have to write some pretty horrific essays to get rejected.</p>

4

<p>Great stats, should have 90% chance. However, UW Madison ant’ anybody’s backup school. Choose your other school wisely. Good luck.</p>

5

<p>The only way to not get in would be not to appear you have any serious interest–as in no essays or some that were just thrown together. Otherwise, yes–it’s a pretty good safety with that record.</p>

6

<p>Thanks everyone. I hopefully should write a good essay, at least the common app one, and my “why UW” essay should be pretty good too. After all I can just ask my parents about all the things they love and then just talk about them. Been a badger fan for life too haha. Any more thoughts/comments?</p>

7

<p>Very very impressive stats. Now just focus on your essays and I can not imagine why you would not get in with those outstanding stats. Since it is your safety school I am wondering what is your first choice school? Best of luck to you.</p>

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<p>@judyjim Thanks! My first choice school would probably be Duke. I also really like Wash. U in St. Louis, Emory, and Northwestern. My other “safety”(I hate to call it that) is Michigan, just because it’s a really good school and I’m instate (easier to get into) so it would also be the cheapest. I probably won’t get financial aid anywhere, and I’m not sure if I want to go graduate(most likely med school) yet, but if I do end up doing that it would be smartest to go to U of M. I love UW, visited many times, big fan of their sports as well, (my parents would love it if I went there) but I probably would only go there if for some reason I didn’t get into U of M or any of the others. It just makes more financial sense to go to U of M over UW because they are very similar in terms of most academic things, size, sports teams, etc., except one would be $40,000 cheaper. I was thinking about some Ivies (Upenn, Brown) but I’m not sure that I have that great a chance of getting in, I mean its possible, but it would still be hard. I just can’t really see myself enjoying an Ivy lifestyle.</p>

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<p>You may find this NPR interview helpful regarding admissions.</p>

<p>Behind The Scenes: How Do You Get Into Amherst?
by ovia Smith</p>

<p>March 28, 2011</p>

<p>Listen to the Story
Morning Edition
[7 min 46 sec] Add to Playlist
Download </p>

<p>text size A A A March 28, 2011</p>

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<p>[Inklings</a> : 2011 Senior List](<a href=“http://www.inklingsnews.com/news/2011/06/22/2011-senior-list/]Inklings”>2011 Senior List – Inklings News)</p>

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<p>I got my SAT subject test results, don’t have to send them because I’m sending the ACT, but wondering if they would enhance my application?
Biology M-790
Math Level 1-730(might retake)</p>

<p>And I probably will take Math Level 2 in the fall</p>

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<p>Your stats are a LOT better than mine…if you were applying when I was admitted (a year ago) you’d be almost a sure thing. It’s gotten harder in the past year though.</p>

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<p>UW-Madison was my safety, and it should be yours. Ignore everybody else. I had similar stats to you (class rank 1/950, act 35, volunteering, leadership, etc) and became an ivy league reject. Madison will be my new home for the next 4 years, but honestly I couldn’t be more excited! I ended up deciding between UW and WashU. But anyway, yes you can feel free to consider it a safety and not bother applying to a branch school.</p>

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<p>UW should be a safety school based on you successful HS record. Asking this question on this board is very insulting to some people who follow this board. If you want to go to IVY league or equitant schools you will need passion and better EC’s. My sons friends who are going to the most elite schools have lower grades but higher SAT/ACT scores but their passion is off the charts. Most of the kids who made IVY league didn’t make honors, but they had over 8 AP’s including Physics C and Calc BC in their Junior year. You could have taken College courses in a local college. Michigan should be your safe school (its cheaper for you!!!). If you really want to go to elite schools then hire a college coach</p>

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<p>I’m not really that interested in the actual IVIES per say. I’m sorry if I offended anyone, I didn’t mean for it to be, I love UW, both my parents went there and want me to go there and ALL of my extended family lives in Wisconsin so I actually would still consider it, although would most likely choose Michigan, but I can’t only have one safety, I need at least two. I know UW is a great school and their science and business programs are particularly good, my two interests. Plus, I’m not sure if my dad was right about this or not, he thinks that I could get an alumni scholarship or something, not full ride or even half ride, but just some money at UW. </p>

<p>And @justwaiting1 I could not have taken any more AP’s my junior year. My school only offered one and NO I couldn’t have taken courses at community college my junior year. Would you if you moved half way across the country 2 weeks before your junior year started? Also, absolutely no college, including the Ivies, would hold it against you for not taking CC courses. First of all, these courses are easier than AP courses anyways, secondly I simply had absolutely no time in my schedule. My school ends at 3 PM and then I have practice every day until around 5PM or later if there are meets. Then I have to drive a half hour home in rush hour traffic where I then eat and do my homework. I literally have no time to take a crappy CC course that I would just retake at a good university anyways. I WAS signed up to take 4 Ap’s junior year (Stats, USH, Chem, English) and 6 AP’s senior year (Physics C, Calc BC, French, English Lit, Gov, and Bio) However my new school doesn’t offer pretty much any. And at my new school, while I could have taken one more AP class, absolutely nobody in my entire school is taking as many as me, the couneselors also advise against taking that many (idk why) Also, I’m pretty sure that you are exaggerating about them having 8 AP’s in one year, many schools, including mine, don’t even have 8 periods and I find it highly unlikely that they didn’t have to take some sort of elective or foreign language class(which dont have AP’s until senior year).</p>

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<p>And I apologize for coming off as defensive, however it is offensive to pretty much say that as of now I have NO chance at top tier school and that I’m trying to offend people that have for the most part helped me out. Once again I’m not sure how I offended you, but I feel that I was very nice and didn’t write anything offensive. If it was simply the fact that I asked if UW would be a safety, then you are being unreasonable and immature. UW is a very good school, but it is very large and therefore can admit a ton of applicants, to think that UW cannot be a safety for ANYONE, not even for kids like me because many kids are way better applicants than me, is stupid. Of course my odds probably aren’t likely, all those schools are defininetly possible, as reaches and some even more towards matches (if I apply ED especially).</p>

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<p>I meant the total of 8 AP’s by the end of the junior year. Michigan was a safe school for most of the top and next tier students at my sons school. I remember a few years ago one of the students had over 20 AP’s. If you receive a B in one of the AP classes you probably received a 5 on the test.</p>

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<p>People get a little prickly when someone talks about their school as a safety school, but for what it’s worth stewta4 I didn’t take any offense and I didn’t find it insulting. UW is difficult to get into but everyone know it’s not as selective as some schools, so if someone has tremendous, off the wall stats, they might consider it a safety. I still think that’s a little dangerous because unlike a four year branch school there is still a small chance you could get rejected if your personal statement isn’t very good or if they don’t think you’re serious about attending.</p>

<p>As an aside, the vast disparity in the number of AP courses a school offers is really a microcosm in the gap in quality between high schools across the nation. I took every AP offered at my school and I ended up with a grand total of four. But oh well, I ended up where I wanted to. I could have really used those extra college credits though.</p>

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<p>Don’t worry or spend more time on this. Just keep up the good work, get your applications in and go… Never any guarantees, but excellent chances.</p>

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<p>stewta, it’s always a treat - NOT - to hear these self-indulgent “gosh i hope my 34 ACT and 4.0 GPA” posts. 10,000 words of total self-worship. Try to conceal your arrogance and self-satisfaction in your essay, that’s my advice.</p>